The Tale of The Unexpected Adventures of an Alien Munchkin
by Mouse624
Summary: All my life my friends told me that I would go out, and do great things. That I would change the world. I wish I had listened to them, because they were right. But, it wasn't Earth that I was meant to change. Heather... of the Storm Hawks. Huh, seeing that written down, that's got a pretty nice ring to it don't you think? Rated M: Just because I'm worried about the cussing.
1. Chapter 1

_Preface: _

_Reader, I must tell you something before I tell you my story. _

_ I am a dreamer, who has too big an imagination._

_ People, who have a big imagination, tend to dream bigger dreams than what they can handle. At night they dream that they are heroes, and that they've found their true love, and life is perfect, and then they wake up to Earth, where instead they are bullied, they fail tests, and life is shit. But, all the while, when it gets to be too much, they just think of their imaginary lover, the one of their perfect dream, the one that makes you smile in your sleep, that makes your eyes glaze over and sparkle as we look up to the sky and hope. We let people smack dirt in our face, because at the end of the day we shake off the dirt and dream and pretend that it never happened, so we can put up with it the next day. _

_ I looked up into the sky, and I saw clouds and my dream, an old dream I've had for a long time, that reoccurring dream that you always pray you'll have again tomorrow, because that one gave you hope. _

_ Whether I'm dreaming or wide awake, I only know one thing:_

_ He's given me hope. _

_ Reader, please promise me something before I continue. Don't be surprised when I cry. Instead, be surprised when I throw a punch, when I laugh, and when I am truly, whole-heartedly, happy._

_ But expect me to cry. _

**Chapter 1: **

**Heather: Well, hello.**

_Regrets collect like old friends_

_Here to relive your darkest moments_

_ I can see no way, I can see no way and all of the ghouls come out to play _

_And every demon wants his pound of flesh_

_But I like to keep some things to myself_

_I like to keep my issues drawn_

_It's always darkest before the dawn  
and I've been a fool and I've been blind _

_I can never leave the past behind_

_I can see no way, I can see no way_

_ I'm always dragging that horse around_

_ And our love is pastured such a mournful sound _

_Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground_

_So I like to keep my issues drawn_

_But it's always darkest before the dawn  
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah!_

_ Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaaah! _

_And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back So shake him off, oh woah!_

_Shake it Out__ by: Florence and the Machine Album: __Ceremonials_

_ watch?v=RCWnVznnWcs _

** I do not like math! **It's a waste of this soon-to-be-next-author-of-the-great-American-novel 's valuable time, which I need to drink in all I need to kick Penmanship's ass! I have much more important things to do than AP Calculus, AP Biology and AP Government, I need to work on _Creative Writing_; I have an award to win in that class! The last thing I need is another stupid science award; I have seven of those already! I need to finish _Les Miserables, _and don't get me started on the list of Jane Austin that I still have yet to read, not to mention Charlotte Bronte, H_itchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, _and of course The Bible, and all the while I am expected to be working on my novel, it's already too much to handle! But, these little annoyances, called A.P.'s and Honor's bull crap is keeping me from my passion! Well, no more! I refuse to contribute to this outlandish thing we call a public school education!

At least that's how I convince myself to give up studying for my history test, because I already know I'm going to fail it. Yes folks, meet the artist!Where my creative every-where-ness knows no bounds. You think it'd be pleasant, but let me tell ya somethin', it ain't.

I go by Heather, because that's the name my dad gave me, and I don't think people would ever want to call me Paprika (which it would actually be pretty awesome if someone called me that), so Heather it is. So allow me to enter the world of reality for a moment here, I don't come here often, and I like to see how the place has changed since I've last been here.

Truth is, I only have one Best Of Show Science Fair awards, a Biology award, a teacher's award (which honestly is an award for how well I kissed up to my teachers) and that's it. I do have to do all that reading, but most likely I'm going to end up like any other starving artist, unless I get some other writing day job. And finally, I can't just sit down and scream "screw the system" because the system is screwing me. I'm a senior with a bad case of _senioritis_, and I will do anything for an excuse to go to sleep.

It'd been a long day, which doesn't make any different from any other day, because every day is long for me. There are 24 hours in a day and 18 of those hours I'm running in circles, doing homework or whatever, always thinking, dreaming, hoping, crying, anything. It seems as though life is a never-ending, swirling black hole that we're all forced to be a part of. We are all forced to be stuck on the same piece of ground, and only explore the things that have already been discovered and recorded as a been-there-done-that, because now only the boring stuff is left to discover.

We are all apparently so different, but forced to live the same lives, the same boring routines that nobody likes, but we complain and continue them because we feel we have no choice. But we ready _do_ have no choice, and I really _am_ stuck. And there is nothing I can do to change it; not matter how hard I try, I can never win.

Reader, I will tell you something, something I don't always tell people. Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to explore, but not just on Earth. No, I wanted to stretch my arms into the infinity of space and let my fingers graze along the yawning movement of time.

I wanted… Well, I wanted a lot of things. It's hard to put my finger on which one was my deepest desire, although I had probably a good number of them. I guess deciding what I didn't want is where my story begins. I _didn't _want to become like my mother (who doesn't?), I _didn't _want to be some lame writer that people let starve, and I _didn't _want to go unheard of. Most importantly I didn't really want to hang around in the same stale air with 4.5 billion people who also inhabit this filthed planet.

So, my theory, is that knowing what I _didn't_ want.

Is what lead me to get what I _did _want.


	2. Chapter 2

Preface 2:

**Aerrow**

_Piper always told me that we should never do anything without having a plan first. Which, is okay, but how can you plan an adventure, when you you're going to uncharted Atmos? Well, we had never gone to the Other Side, so never once did we go off the maps. _

_ But I had a plan, maybe not as awesome, or as detailed as Piper's, but more than maybe what anyone else could come up with. I had a plan for the Far Side: the place that Stork said was the place of no return. My plan: find Cyclonis. She escaped to the far side, and it is our duty as a squadron to follow her. It seemed solid enough, find her, and stop her, maybe even for good. Now, with the Dark Ace finally gone, by the hands of his own master, all that's left for me to do is to stop Cyclonis, just her, not even Snipe. _

_But, as Piper closed the portal… I don't know. Something strange happened. It was as if the atmosphere shifted in every direction and in no direction all at the same time. It was like light was blooming into this, tulip, but it was also dark and cold and still. Maybe I sound crazy, but it's true, it's what I saw._

_ The last thing I remember before I passed out is we just stopped abruptly; there was a moment of stillness. Then, we were suddenly thrusted forwards, like a hand grabbed us and pulled. I crashed through the windshield and smacked against the deck barrier. I looked up, and there were stars, so, so many stars. Stretching for miles and miles, big and little, orange, yellow, and white. _

_Then we began to fall. The world shifted. Stork had passed out, as well as everyone else on the hanger. It was only me. I managed to crawl in, I grabbed the wheel, but I couldn't control the ship. The ground had become a large black mouth, and it was breathing us in, ready for its next meal. Then I saw a flash of green, and quickly changed to brown, like headlights on a tree, and the lights were flashing along them, running along like a running man with a flashlight. Then there was only white._

_ Then, there was only black._

**Chapter 2: The Beginning**

_If I ever leave this world alive  
I'll thank for all the things you did in my life  
If I ever leave this world alive  
I'll come back down and sit beside your  
feet tonight  
Wherever I am you'll always be  
More than just a memory  
If I ever leave this world alive  
If I ever leave this world alive  
I'll take on all the sadness  
That I left behind  
If I ever leave this world alive  
The madness that you feel will soon subside  
So in a word don't shed a tear  
I'll be here when it all gets weird  
If I ever leave this world alive  
So when in doubt just call my name  
Just before you go insane  
If I ever leave this world  
Hey I may never leave this world  
But if I ever leave this world alive_

_If I ever Leave This World Alive__ by: Flogging Molly in the album Drunken Lullabies_

_ watch?v=Xql8CKE_9oI_

**I don't know how long I was out, but I came to with a migraine**. When I opened my eyes my vision was woozy. I could see the walls. As well as the outline of a face with blobs of blue, green, and purple in places where clothes may be, as well as other neons dancing in the skies.

Then, somehow by a gut feeling, I knew it was one of the shape shifters, who are the fortune tellers of Atmos, and never had good news for me. I've met them only three times in my entire life. The first time I met them was when they told me I was destined to be a Sky Knight because of my dad, Lightning Strike, and that was when I was ten. Four years after that, I met Afrifin, a legendary Sky Knight trainer, who came to tell us we were all in danger if he didn't help us. Then another year after that they then told me that the future of Atmos was going to continue without me. I couldn't help but grow anxious in their presence, because of their history with me. The voice was horse, like the voice of an old man.

"_One, who is open, shall__ come to the end with the means that once started,_

_Bringing light, hate, and sorrow  
And when one obtained in a power of evil  
and only the fire, _

_Will you have to choose,_

_Your home_

_Or the light" _

What? What in skies did they mean by that? And what was with the riddle anyway? Don't they normally just straight-up tell me these things? What's with the riddle? The confusion in my head became too much for me; too much to comprehend at once. Then I ended up passing out again.

…

When I finally woke up for good, I was in the Infirmary. Junko was hovering over me, with a wet towel that he was dabbing my forehead with. I felt too weak to move, my mouth was made of cotton, it fluffed out like foam out from my lips when I tried to ask Junko what happened. He couldn't hear me, he instead turned and dipped the towel into a bowl of water, and I noticed that the towel was stained through with blood, and covered Junko's fingers. I froze, I turned back to my original position. Am I still bleeding? I refused to move to risk losing more blood for a peak. Junko had left from his chair, and went to the sink to rinse off his hands. He returned with another wet towel, which he wringed above my mouth. The drops weren't much, but they were just enough to enable me to speak.

"W-what happened?" I asked, my voice still hoarse.

"You know…" he began. "I'm not really sure." I opened my mouth to ask my next question, but he put his finger over my whole mouth. "And yes, Piper is okay, she just got a few bumps and bruises. Finn got a couple cuts on his forehead and arms, Stork got a minor concussion, but he should be fine, Raddarr broke his arm, but Piper gave him a nail crystal treatment, he she be fine by morning. You got the worst of it."

Piper's okay, I began to relax, they're all okay. I laid my head back against the pillow, I looked out the window, it was probably about midnight, it was a thick veil of black, and the quietness of the night made things seem a little more peaceful.

"So I take it we have no clue where we are," I said. He nodded softly, getting back to treating my wounds. Junko was, to be put bluntly, a gentle giant, being the kindest Wallop I've ever met (which doesn't really say much, because he's the only Wallop I've met, but from what he tells me he seems to be). Large grey eyes, and green brown hair, large elfin ears and chin, and a little horn on his nose. Not to mention his enormous size, he was bigger than the rest of the Storm Hawks combined.

When you see his body you think of a warrior, but when you look deep into his eyes you think of nothing but innocence. Who you'd think has never seen the same things as me, and had to face the same horrors, or see the same amount of pain as me. Instead those eyes have, and kills me to know that, like an icy dagger into my heart, of pure frozen guilt.

"So exactly how bad off am I?"

"Not really that bad, you just got some pretty deep cuts, and you have one that still tries to bleed when your stitches get loose. But you were just out for a while," he said, softly.

"Just, _how _long exactly?" I pressed. He hesitated, he wouldn't look me in the eyes.

"A few days..."

"How _many _days?" I asked, a little harsher this time, but again he hesitated. "_Junko?"_

"About a week and a half, you almost slipped into a coma-"

_"_A week and a _half_?_" _I cried_. "_Cyclonis has been out the whole time, and we've been sitting here for a_ week and a half?" _

"Piper gave orders to stay here!" he protested.

"_Piper said that? _Where is she? Where are we? Can we fly the Condor? I want to get up and running _now!" _

"No, you need to rest, and take it easy, Aerrow. We still need to run scans!"

Forget taking it easy. I kicked off the sheets, and my right shin protested as I stood. I looked to see that I was only in my boxers, and a horrible cut, mended with stitches, ran along the side of my calf, it was covered in blood stains.

I didn't take more than three steps before the world tilted. My vision had holes growing in it, making it hard for me to make out Piper's face when she ran in the room.

All I could see were her eyes.

I stretched my arms out for her, but it was as if I just couldn't quite reach her. I landed on the floor. The sounds around me grew too loud and were warped, I couldn't make out any words. I squeezed my eyes and cupped my hands over my ears, and curled myself into a ball. It was becoming too much to take in; too much to handle. I rolled onto my back, and I remember the floor being cool and calm on my neck.

Then the world turned silent, and black.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Heather**

**Piper's a little feisty!**

_Fall is here, hear the yell  
Back to school, ring the bell  
Brand new shoes, walking blues  
Climb the fence, book and pens  
I can tell that we are gonna be friends  
__We Are Gonna Be Friends__ by: White Stripes Album: __White Blood Cells_

**It had been a month since I took that history quiz**, and actually I didn't do half bad. In fact, things were going off pretty well at the moment, I was getting along with my friends, my boyfriend and I hadn't had a single argument, and I was almost happy.

Better still, I was smiling in Creative Writing. Now, that class was my favorite class, I love my teacher, I love all my classmates, and I love the homework it gave, because it was all writing stories. I was also serious about that writing thing, I really do want to become a writer, I really do want to write the- next-great-American-novel, but of course the chances of that are slim to not-ever-gonna-happen.

It was probably around January, maybe the first of February when it began. I went into Creative Writing, like I would any other day: on time, and pleasant to Ms. Bee. I won't give you her real name, Reader, because, honestly, you won't hear about her for very long. I sat in m normal seat, at my normal spot in the classroom, around the same group of friends I always sit around. Things were routine, things were normal and systematic, and I liked it that way. Even though I hate the same-old same-old, when it comes to creativity and the things that I love, I don't like change, at all.

"Good afternoon, class!" chimed Ms. Bee, with her familiar, winded monotone. "Today I thought we'd do another 'In Other Words' today!" I was already pulling out my journal when she said this, I was too excited to get to writing something down. Creativity had been swarming in my head for weeks, and this was the first chance in a while to pump some out of my brain and onto some paper. I opened my journal, dated the page like I always would, and blocked out the rest of what Ms. Bee had to say. After which she booted up the power point, and the simple sentence glowed on the smart board. "IT WAS DARK," the words seemed to glow in pure gold letters. Everyone immediately began to scribble away in their notebooks, like a dog digging in the ground, because they think they found a bone.

I felt perfect things were so wonderfully normal, that I never notived that someone, who had orange eyes, was staring at me.

About fifteen minutes passed, and I had already finished all I had to say about that simple sentence. Only handfuls of people were still writing, the air was growing to become stiller, and stiller, till the air was perfectly stale.

"Would anybody like to share?" asked Ms. Bee. After a moment, I raised my hand, as an age old tradition of me breaking the ice. But, she didn't call on me, instead she looked at a long raily arm that stretched up before her.

I had never seen the owner of that arm before, she must have been new. She was tall, very tall, and skinny, but with defined shapely features that would make any model jealous. She had the complexion of a perfect milk chocolate truffle, with an elfin chin, and carved out cheek bones. Her eyes were a fiery orange, which seemed to burn through your soul, and long blue-black hair that was pushed back into a smooth afro with a hairband. She lowered her hand, making a conscious effort not to hit anyone with her extensive limbs.

_"It was too dark to see the hand before me. The ship rumbled and moaned from beneath, and the black mouth yawned us into its cavernous innards. Making me feel like a shrunken head, a shrunken being of unimportance. We crept in the blackness, in the cold, into the void of nothingness, and all I could feel was terror. A pure bone-shivering fear, that whatever may lay before us was trouble. We tilted, and they let go. And then, the unthinkable…" _She looked up for her book. "That's all I got to write so far." There was a moment of silence, the words were only just beginning to sink in when Ms. Bee gave her feedback. Then she offered it to the class.

"What did you hear? What did you enjoy?"

"Was that about a whale, by chance?" I asked, not bothering to raise my hand. She clicked her head to me, her eyes burrowing into mine with a vicious amount of concentration, and then she looked away in the same second, and shook her head.

"Worse than a whale," she whispered, almost too soft for me to hear. "It was death." That answer disturbed me, I leaned back in surprise, and for some reason I could just feel that this wasn't death in general. It was something bigger; the way she stared at the floor I could tell it was much more personal. The thought of that made me shiver, like a drop of ice was crawling slowly along my spine, making my very core cold.

Then all I could think to ask, but didn't have the guts to was: Who was that girl?

Later that period we went to the library to work on our current writing projects. The girl grabbed her laptop and darted to the corner, refusing to have anything to do with us. She sat in the far corner, next to the window, she pushed her computer aside, and began scribbling in her notebook. After I seized my computer, I quietly snuck up to her, not wanting her to try and run away. I was literally four feet away from her before I stopped, and stared for a moment. I couldn't help but notice that she has as just as good posture as I do. It made me wonder if she danced as well.

She didn't look up, her eyes stayed planted to the papers she was writing on. The only time she lifted her head, it was just enough to bite at her eraser, then to immediately scratch something out.

"I'm Heather," I said, half clearing my throat. She jumped a little, then looked at me, and gave a dry smile. "And yours?" She blinked, and hesitated for a moment, before answering.

"My name is Piper,"

"Hi, Piper. May I join you?" I asked. She waited another moment before nodding. I sat on the table diagonal from her, and gave a little space, so she wouldn't feel pressured. "I really enjoyed your piece, are you going to write more?" She shook her head, and looked back at her notebook. "aren't you going to use your computer?" she looked up.

"My what?" she asked, puzzled. I pointed to the laptop she picked up, and she seemed even more confused.

"You've used a computer before haven't you?" she shook her head. Now I was the one perplexed. "You're joking right?" she shook her head again. I stared at her, for probably a little too long for her comfort, but seriously, this was the 21st century here. "Do you want me to show you… how to use one?" her face lit up.

"Would you? That would be wonderful!" she squealed, and she shoved the laptop over the carpet against my knees.

I showed her how to turn it on, I logged her in and started a Word document for her, and her eyes widened with fascination. "This is amazing! Where did you learn to do that?"

"I don't really know, almost everyone has a computer," I mumbled. "Did they not have computers at your old school?"

"What?"

"At your old school? You did go to school didn't you?" she blinked at me, then she shook her head, shyly. "Were you home schooled or something? By your parents?" she thought about it for a minute or two, before nodding.

"Yeah, I was… home schooled! And we… we never had a computer," she said.

"So did you move here?"

"Huh?"

"Did you_ move_ here? Aren't you from somewhere else?" now I was getting flustered, honestly this girl doesn't seem to get out much.

"Well, uhm, yes, I guess you could say I moved here," she answered. "Uhm, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Did you move here too?"

"Nope, I've lived my whole life here," I smiled, being proud that I still live in my birth town.

"And… here is…?" she said it slowly and carefully and that was in every way suspicious.

"Yorktown," I said. "Yorktown, Virginia." She nodded softly, and looked back at her computer screen, where she typed only a few words.

"I only have one more question," I said. "Where are you from?"

"Far away," she looked me in the eyes. "Far, _far_ away." Then the final bell rang; school was now over. Piper picked up her backpack, which was a little brown sack, with a small blue bird on the top flap.

"I'll put your computer away for you," I said, she ignored me and raced off. I waited till she left before I looked to read what was on the computer screen.

"_You seem like a nice girl, but please stop asking so many questions. Or else I'll have no choice but to kill you." _

I slammed the screen shut; I didn't bother to turn it off before I gave it back to the librarian. Then I drove home, but the whole time I was shaking, and could feel those orange eyes burning into the back of my neck, like she was with me, following me, watching me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Piper**

** Date: Unknown **

**Far side log #: 1**

**Squadron's log,**

Aerrow is almost healed at this point. His biggest stitch is beginning to scab over so the stitches can be removed in about a week or so. His concussion is about gone, and his heart has started to make more blood, so he's been getting stronger. Despite this we've all been worried sick about him.

The damages to the Condor are moderate, most of the windshield has cracked, and the engine room has three cracked crystals. All weapons are still functional and responsive, and our skimmers are in fair condition, considering the blow we took. Most of our crystal supply is good, but a few of them are draining quickly from an unknown source, they'll need to be harmonized to save some of their power. That should not be much of an issue for me, I've been getting better with my powers, my magic is draining less from me day by day, so I should be able to do some repairs in the near future.

In the meantime, I've decided to do some solo recon on foot, and I must say, the Far Side is much different from Atmos. There are few airborne ways of travel, most ways of transport are on soil. Things are systematic, all citizens under 18 must report to an academy, which they refer to as "school." People seem busy, and you have little time to transition from one area of study to another. They have no crystals that I've seen, which is the biggest difference for me. Their sciences do not mention once of crystals, instead they talk of explosive, flammable liquids.

They also write in a different language, it's nothing like the alphabet on Atmos, and it's impossible to decipher.

I also met a chatty girl today. Her name is Heather, a small girl, long auburn hair, and blue eyes and a petite stature. As I have already said, she is a talkative girl, full of questions. Many of which I could not answer. Here are a few of them:

1.)Do you have a computer?

2.)Have you moved from somewhere?

3.)Was that about a whale? (that was about what I wrote in my free-writing class)

4.)Where are you from?

Obviously you cannot get away with much around this place. I need to learn all that I can about their culture and way of life, before I can try and find Cyclonis. I'm going to need a resource, but I don't know where to go to find one. I cannot read any of their books, I cannot work any of their systems, and obviously I cannot just ask someone to help me. What if they do not know about Atmos? That's a terrifying thought. I will have to ask Aerrow, and see what he says. He will know what to do.

I must leave this entry short, for I have work that their "school" gave me to complete tonight.

-Piper out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Aerrow **Recon

_When they finally come to destroy the earth  
They'll have to go through you first  
I bet they won't be expecting that  
When they finally come to destroy the earth  
They'll have to deal with you first and now  
My money says they won't know about  
The thousand Fahrenheit hot metal lights behind your eyes  
Invincible, (Invincible, oh oh oh)  
you're invincible  
Invincible, (Invincible, oh oh oh)  
you're invincible  
That crushing, crashing, atom-smashing, white hot thing  
It's invincible_

_ watch?v=LYWsAW8h9vE_

_Invincible by: Ok Go, album: Oh No_

It had been another two weeks before I was well enough to fully report back on duty. The stitches were for the mostly healed, and my concussion was almost gone. Piper was anxious to get back to work. As soon as I felt good enough to put my uniform back on, Piper had already finished a few days of recon, and wanted to report her observations to me first thing. It wasn't till late at night when I called everyone to the bridge for an analysis of what Piper had found.

Normally I would only have the whole team meet up after Piper and I had analyzed the data and formed a plan. But we were making history here, because no one has ever been to the far side. I was sure the team was curious about Piper's findings, and would want to be a part of a monumental Atmosian achievement. Most importantly, we had to find a way to get an advantage over Cyclonis, because she was already about a month ahead of us. So, the sooner we know what we're dealing with, the better.

Piper was ready to begin by the time Finn and I walked into the room. Her maps were laid out, measurements double-checked, math displayed and notes at the ready. She was prepared for anything and everything, and I couldn't help it, but a smile cracked onto my tired face as I looked at the familiar scene. Junko had a seat on the couch next to Stork, who stared at the floor, silently. Then I realized that Finn hadn't said a thing since we walked into the bridge with me, which wasn't normal. Radarr was on my shoulder but didn't move to the couch or anything.

Then Piper looked at me, and looked back down at her notes, not saying a word. Then I realized that everyone was silent.

I guess I then had one of those out- of- body experiences, everyone had frozen in place, even Piper, who normally gets straight to work once everyone is there and accounted for. I could've heard fly sneeze it was so silent. The stillness made me uneasy, and it even frightened me. It was as if I was looking down at the scene from above, and I could see everyone just frozen in place. It made me think that they were all dead faces, placed in positions that would look like they were alive. Then it hit me, whatever happens now is going to affect the rest of our lives, and possibly the rest of Atmos. I felt my hands humming, which worried me even more, because my hands don't shake unless I'm crying.

I inhaled, the world seemed to be holding its breath, I exhaled, and the world exhaled with me.

"Alright Piper," I said, slowly and as evenly as possible. "What's our status?" Time began again, and noise picked up it's normal rhythm. She looked at me from behind, refusing to leave her hunched over position over her notes.

"We're not in Atmos anymore," she said, letting the words gain weight in the following silence. "Not at all. This place is absolutely _huge_, so huge it could take us months to cover all the land they have here." She pushed a small little chart in front of her, it came from a book of some sort. On it there were seven large terras surrounded by blue space. She pointed to the blue space surrounding the terras. "That's all water. It can get so deep sunlight can't reach the bottom, and it get dense like the clouds of terra Deep. But there's also vicious creatures that could kill you. no human can survive if they were dropped in the middle of these waters."

"What kind of vicious creatures?" Finn asked, sheepishly.

"Well for one, there's these things called sharks," she laid out a picture of a triangular-headed beast, with several rows of jagged teeth. They looked like sky-sharks, but these creatures looked far more terrifying. Finn cringed back like a dying bug, and let out a small whimper.

"How deep do these waters go?" I asked.

"It depends," she said. "In some places it's fairly shallow, but it gets as deep as 10,924 meters, that's almost 30 times deeper than the deepest point of Terra Aquinos." My eyes bulged 30 fold _shouldn't _ be possible, but then again I wasn't quite sure how big a meter was.

"Where does it get that deep?"

"Here," she answered, she pointed to the biggest area of open space. "It's in the… Pacific Ocean? I think that's what they call it, It's the Mariner's Trench in Challenger Deep. But that's not even the half of it."

"Okay…" I said.

"They have an age limit, you have to 18 or older in order to travel by air, sea or anywhere without being noticed. We can't go undercover, because they have so many complicated records of people, and I think if we did go undercover, we would be breaking their laws or something. If we were to go anywhere we'd have to be perfectly cloaked, and I honestly don't think we have the energy for that. Plus, if their squadrons find out about us, they won't hesitate to blast us down, no matter what we say."

"Oh… Okay…" I mumbled. "What can we do?"

"Well, we can go to school," she said.

"What's school?" asked Junko.

"Their version of an academy, it's where I got this," she pointed to the book with the chart of the Far Side. "I honestly think we're going to have to go to school if we want to learn any more about this place. We're going to have to, because they system of living is very different from ours, and we could get in a lot of trouble if we mess up."

"Okay, then we'll go to school, how about Piper and I go, and Junko, Finn, and Stork stay here and-"

"-Hold on I'm not done," she said. "This place has a very picky way of doing things, and they get suspicious very easily."

"So? Wallops are the same way, we can handel them, no problem," said Junko.

"It's not that simple, they... they don't even have crystals or write the way we do, and... I think the only way we're going to get Cyclonis, without getting caught up in prison or something…Is... You're not going to like this…"

"Piper, what is it?"

"Well… We're going to have to be undercover, they probably don't know that Atmos even exists, so I don't think it would be a good idea to just go in their without some sort of… I don't know… disguise…" she trailed off.

"No big deal, we can just get some of those old masks that you made for us or something," said Junko.

"No, those wont work, the thing it's impossible for us to go undercover just with what we've normally done. We're... We're going to need some help."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Okay, here it is, I met a girl at school, and she is full of questions, and has _the biggest_ mouth, but I think she'd be willing to teach us their ways, if we play it safe."

"Wait, so you don't want anyone to know who we are or where we're from," argued Finn. "But you want to tell some big mouth girl who we are, and expect _her_ not to tell anyone?"

"Um, well, not exactly…" She suddenly grew interested in the floor, this wasn't like Piper, this wasn't like her at all. "Yes, we'll have to tell her, but even though she may not seem like a girl we can trust, I sense something in her."

"Something… good?" Junko offered.

"Not likely," said Stork. "You should never trust strangers, they can become… dangerous."

"No, what I sense in her it's… I think it has to do with my ability, she has warmth in her, she has a bright heart or something? I don't know how to describe it…"

"What, Piper? What is it?" I asked.

"I have no idea, but I guess it is something good," said Piper, looking to change the subject. "Look, whatever it is, I feel like if we don't find somebody to help us, were doomed. She's our best shot if were going to find Cyclonis, or even find a way to get out of here." I leaned over the table, and stared at the charts, the math, everything, and I knew she was right.

"What's this girl's name?"

"Heather," she answered. "She's our age she has blue eyes, dirty blonde hair and-"

"-Okay," I said, with my hand in the air. "How do you know we can trust this… Heather?" The name sounded so strange in my mouth, it almost tasted bitter.

"I honestly have no clue, but she's all we got." I let out a deep breath, and ran my hand over the sides of my face.

"Alright, we act tomorrow," I ordered. "I'll come with you in case something we're to happen."

"Oh, that reminds me, you can't be armed," she said.

"Excuse me?"

"Their academies have a strict no weapons policy, we could get thrown into jail for that," I looked at her, she was biting her lip.

"So, what exactly is this jail?" I asked, almost in a growl.

"I've been told it's the worst place on Earth, that's what they call the Far Side here, I'm guessing it's their Wastelands."

"Oh, they have the Wastelands too?" asked Stork. "Well, at least it's something like home." He gave into a strange grin that gave me the shivers.

"Okay," I stood-up straight and held my hands in the air. "I won't bring any weapons, but if she does anything, and I mean _anything _I _will _act," I turned to the rest of the Storm Hawks. "Are you all in agreement with this?" Finn stared at the ground, Junko shrugged and Stork shriveled up his nose.

"Seems like there is no other way to do it," said Finn. I gave a slight nod.

"Alright, well, get some rest guys," I ordered. "We act first thing tomorrow morning." Then everyone got up and left. But I stayed behind with Piper, who was busy with her papers. I wrapped my arms around her from the side, and she gave a light jump of surprise, before wrapping her arms around my neck. "Hey," I whispered.

"Hey," she whispered back. Then she wriggled out of my arms, and got back to picking up her things.

"Are you okay?" None of this was like her. She avoided my gaze.

"I-I'm just a little nervous… That's all,"

"No, I mean it Piper, what's wrong?" I put a finger under her chin, and made her look at me. She wasn't too pale, she was doing better than she was when we were on Atmos. I studied her eyes, then she began to cry.

"I'm terrified,"

"What in sky's for?"

"About the girl… It's not that I don't trust her, it's- it's almost as if I trust her too much."

"What do you mean?"

"She's… Okay, I know what the vibe is okay? I may have told a white lie…"

"Piper! Why?"

"I-I don't even know, Aerrow, I just don't understand it is the thing. I didn't see why it was her that would give me this vibe."

"Well, what was it then?" I slipped my arms back around her waist, and she rested her head on my chest.

"Promise not to worry?"

"I promise," I kissed her hair.

"I see her as either what saves Atmos, or destroys it, and I've seen both options, and if she destroys it, there will be nothing left that wont be burned."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: **Heather

**My journey begins….. HERE!**

_Load the car and write the note  
Grab your bag and grab your coat  
Tell the ones that need to know  
We are headed north  
One foot in and one foot back  
But it don't pay, to live like that  
So I cut the ties and I jumped the tracks  
For never to return  
Ah Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in  
Are you aware the shape I'm in  
My hands they shake my head it spins  
Ah Brooklyn Brooklyn take me in_

_(I and Love and You By: The Avett Brothers album: I and Love and You)_

watch?v=mrsgIEBwIZM

I wish I could begin my story here, because this feels more like the beginning then anything else. But it's hard to remember you first step after a million mile journey. I don't know if this was step one, step five or what, but this moment is bookmarked into my mind as the first step _off_ the journey that I was _supposed _to be a part of.

Piper sat next to me that day, in the empty seat where Maurice used to sit before she moved away. Piper reminded me of Maurice, not just because they both happened to be black, but because she holds herself like Maurice did. Slightly hunched over, but with pride held in her neck. But, Piper seemed to have a little more energy than Maurice did. I need to stop talking about Maurice; thinking about Maurice makes me upset, because I miss her.

"What's your email?" Piper asked.

"You have an email now?" I asked, giggling. She leaned in closer to my face, so that only I could hear.

"The way you showed me how to work the computer was really helpful, thanks for that,"

"Of course, darlin'," I ripped out a piece of paper, and I gave her my email. We went to the library a few minuets later, and Piper asked me to sit with her in the corner again. I agreed, and couldn't help but smile. It made me happy that there was a possibility that we could become friends. I needed a new friend, as good a one that could replace Maurice.

I probably should've given more notice to the red-headed boy staring at me. He sat in the same chair Piper did on Friday, his arms crossed, and his gaze fixed.

We sat down and booted up our computers, I logged into Google, as I always do, as well as Pandora. I opened a word document as I jammed my headphones into the computer, and turning up The Decembrists as loud as I dared with my Skull Candy buds. I had only written two paragraphs for one of the longest short stories I had ever written (it was just shy from it by two pages, my record is 8) when suddenly the little bell sound, for when you receive a IM on Google, went off. It interrupted such a deep stage of concentration that it made me jump when it went off. I heard a sharp cackle coming from somewhere, but I forced myself to ignore it, being too used to that response to my "spazzes of surprise," or jumpiness which unfortunately happens too often.

I looked on my email, Piper had managed to start a chat with me.

**_Piper: _**_Is it okay if we talk on here?_

I looked up from my computer, she was looking at me with a smile. I pulled out a bud from one of my ears.

"You realize I'm _right _in front of you, right?" I asked. She darted her eyes to the side, and he smile wavered. I followed her gaze, and saw that the red-head was glaring at me, he was fully staring me down. He eye brows were furrowed, and his nostrils were flaring. I shriveled up my nose in response. What the hell was this dude's problem?

"I just want to talk to you about some… private stuff," she said. "You were so kind to me yesterday, I just felt to come to you about it."

How stupid of me to get nervous over the idea that she was going to tell me that she was pregnant.

I thought for a moment, then I replied to her chat.

**_Me: _**_Okay, darlin'. What do you need to talk about?_

**_Piper: _**_Right, well, I am assuming you've met my boyfriend over there. (He's the red-head in the corner.) _

I looked back up from the computer, and looked at him. I had to admit, for a Scrooge, he was pretty cute. But, that thought quickly left went he almost began to sneer at me. I quickly looked away.

"Dude, chill, I'm just talking to your girlfriend," I said. His face elongated a little, his eyes widened a little forming into a face with a sort of raged confusion. I saw him mouth to Piper, _what? _ She shrugged. I looked down at my computer, covered my blushing face, and tried to erase that embarrassing moment from my mind.

**_Me: _**_Yes, I've noticed him. _

_**Piper: **__Well, uh, okay... How do I put this... What do you know about Atmos?_

_**Me: **__That it's a planet in a TV animae show that I'm obsessed with? What, do you watch Storm Hawks too?_

_**Piper: **__What? They have a TV show about us?_

_**Me: **__Yes, they…. Wait, what? What do you mean by that? _

_**Piper: **__I'm not exactly sure… what's a TV show? Is that a type of book or something?_

_**Me: **__No, I mean about it being about you? Atmos is a made-up planet from a made-up show, about made-up characters, that live, and yes I'm going to say it again, in a _made-up_ world… _

It wasn't for another several minutes before she responded.

**_Piper: _**_It is not as made up as you might think._

_**Me: **__What do mean?_

Then she started a group chat on me. It's always annoyed me when people started group chats on me without asking, it's too many people talking at once, and it is impossible to keep up with what the conversation is about.

**_Aerrow:_**_D;ROIHS;RKNG;OERIHGFEKMG;OIGSJO;HGW_

**_Me:_**_What?_

Aerrow stared at the computer that had just appeared on his lap. (still to this day I'm not sure how he got ahold of one.) Piper whispered a few words to him, and his face lit up with enlightenment.

_**Aerrow: **It means that we're not made up, Heather. _

I looked up from the computer, and my head turned to the red-head.

He made eye contact with me, and then I knew. I gasped, and my computer slid off my lap against my knees.

"You-you're… _Aerrow?" _I watched him nod. "Oh my God!" I was close to yelling. Piper started shushing me, but I could hardly hear her. I held my head, and stared at the floor with bugged eyes.

**_Aerrow: _**_Yes, I'm Aerrow, of the Storm Hawks, Heather. _

_**Me: **__Did Piper tell you my name?_

_**Aerrow: **__And we ARE from Atmos, which isn't made-up what-so-ever. And we are here because Cyclonis is somewhere here on the Far Side, and we can't go anywhere without ending up in the Wastelands unless you help us. _

_**Me: **__You need MY help?_

_**Piper: **__Look, Cyclonis is a really bad guy, and we don't want her destroying your world too, we've been at war with her people for a long time. So it's either help us or your world gets destroyed._

_**Me: **__I'm not saying I won't do it. _

_**Aerrow: **__So you will help us? _

_**Me: **__I'm in. On one condition: You tell me about Atmos. _

_**Piper: **__But it seems that you know a lot about Atmos already, from you're novel, TV show. _

_**Me: **__Okay, a TV show is not a book, first thing, you go around talking like that you're going to end up is a crazy shack. And, I want to know about the REAL Atmos, not the one that came out of a TV screen. I'll let you know about my world, if you tell me about yours. _

_**Piper: **__Deal._

**_ Aerrow: _**_Wait! ONLY if you don't tell ANYONE about ANYTHING we tell you. Not one person!_

_**Me: **__Not even my teddy bear?_

_**Aerrow: **__Your what? _

_**Me: **__Never mind, you have a deal. It was a pleasure meeting you, Aerrow. _

_**Aerrow: **__And a pleasure knowing we don't have to be enemies._

I tried to take that as a compliment, because if I didn't I had a feeling he would probably kill me. The bell rang, and I shut down my computer, but just before I left I turned to the two of them and simply said.

"You two look cute together, and that's a good thing," then I walked away, feeling both honored and fully insulted.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Aerrow**

** The Girl**

_And I came home  
Like a stone  
And I fell heavy into your arms  
These days of darkness  
Which we've known  
Will blow away with this new sun  
And I'll kneel down  
Wait for now  
And I'll kneel down  
Know my ground  
And I will wait, I will wait for you  
And I will wait, I will wait for you  
So break my step  
And relent  
You forgave and I won't forget  
Know what we've seen  
And him with less  
Now in some way  
Shake the excess  
But I will wait, I will wait for you  
And I will wait, I will wait for you  
And I will wait, I will wait for you  
And I will wait, I will wait for you So I'll be bold  
As well as strong  
And use my head alongside my heart  
So tame my flesh  
And fix my eyes  
That tethered mind free from the lies  
But I'll kneel down  
Wait for now  
I'll kneel down  
Know my ground  
Raise my hands  
Paint my spirit gold  
And bow my head  
Keep my heart slow  
Cause I will wait, I will wait for you  
And I will wait, I will wait for you  
And I will wait, I will wait for you  
And I will wait, I will wait for you_

_(Mumford & Sons: I Will Wait Album: Babel)_

watch?v=rGKfrgqWcv0

_ It was dark and the air was thick with electricity and moisture. Beads of sweat poured down the back of my neck from the heat, and the humidity made it almost impossible to breathe. I was inside a cave; lightning smacked against the rocks outside. Blue, grey and sewege green clouds hovered above the sky, grumbling._

_ I saw another girl with me, she held an candalem crystal up to her face. Her hair was brown with her hair pulled half back, and what two strands in front of her ears was braided. She looked pretty beat up, but I couldn't tell how severe for the light was too dim to tell. _

_ But what amazed me the most were her eyes, that seemed to glow transparent in the dim, blue light._

_ She approached from the other side of the cave, and with a cloth in her hand, she began dabbing my forehead. _

_ "He got you pretty bad didn't he?" she asked. I just nodded, and I noticed that the rag was soaked with blood when she pulled it away. I looked back out of the cave, and tried to get up to see how bad the storm was. A hand was firmly placed on both my shoulders, and pushed me to sit back down. That was good, since my eyes were spinning before my butt left the rock bed of the cave. _

_ "Oh, no you don't," she said, half-order, half-coo. She sat down in front of me, and stared me square in the eyes. She held a striking amount of confidence. She had the most fierce eyes, that you could just see she meant business. _

_ I knew the last thing I would want, would be stuck in a battle against her. Up close, I could see more of her features. She was fairly built up, mostly in her legs, but arms strong enough to break some ribs. She was shaply, an hour glass figure, bony cheeks, pointy chin, long eyelashes, her features seemed chiseled out of marble. _

_ Where have I seen her before? _

_ "What is your name?" she said it as more as a statement. _

_ "Aerrow, of the Storm Hawks,"_

_ "Why are we here?" her mouth curled into a small grin, showing a row of rounded snow-white teeth._

_ "We're on a recon mission to find out what talons: Ravess and the Dark Ace, have planned for Terra Tropica," I honestly had no idea; it just popped out of my mouth. She nodded like I said the correct answer. _

_ "Which way is north?" I pointed which way north was. She leaned in her face closer to mine, to where her nose was touching mine. I could smell her breath, and what might of been a combination of girl BO and soap. Her hair brushed my cheek, it was wet, and smelled like apples. _

_ Then she kissed me, light at first, but without thinking I used my arms lift myself closer to her. All of me was screaming to stop, this wasn't Piper, this isn't the girl I love. But my heart was pounding so hard I couldn't hear those thoughts clearly. I almost couldn't breathe, no I _couldn't _breathe. When she pulled her lips away my body was shaking. I didn't know who this girl was, but boy did I want to find out. She made me furious, because I was sure that this girl probably wasn't real, and it infuriated me that I was so attracted to this non-Piper. It made me want to hit her. But, I couldn't help it but feel lost in that fierce stare, that confident grin, and her brave expression that made me broil with envy. To feel like the trapped mouse under the lion's paw. _

_ "And what is my name?" it almost sounded like a distant whisper, as her image fogged._

My eyes opened up slowly, but my body was awake long before my eyes were. I was panting, sweating, and my heart was racing. My head was throbbing, my whole face covered in pins and needles. I laid still for a moment, analyzing every detail of that dream, because I _knew_ I had seen that girl before. It made no sense, she was dressed like a warrior, but I had never seen a girl like her in any sort of squadron uniform, or at least I didn't think I had. Maybe it was just one person I just saw for one second, and my mind just memorized and placed under, _faces for dreams _file. But, I really couldn't be sure, I mean, how many faces did I see at Atmos at any given day?

Well, normally just five.

I checked the time; it was about 3am. I ran my hands through my hair, wrapped my arms around Piper, and tried the already hopeless cause of getting back to sleep. It felt better to be around Piper. To be around the one I know everything about, and has everything I could possibly hope for. Her presence comforted me in a way, and happy in another.

But, all I could think of was that girl. All I could think about was that kiss, along with the thousands of questions that began swarming in my head.

Despite all those questions, I knew only one thing: whoever she was, I wanted more of her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Heather **

**Hero my foot, like who the hell does he really think he is? **

_I love you but I can't remember why  
Stars fallin' from high forgotten sky  
I was a one-line wonder in my own love song  
I keep a little journal by my bed  
Dreams help me find the words I haven't said  
Like when a little girlie said goodbye to me  
From behind a screen door  
I won't see her again I'm sure  
Didn't I say I need you  
I tried to move on but I can't  
I tried to think of bad times  
Good memories are all I have  
I love you but I can't remember why  
I'd love to find a reason to deny  
I was a one-hit wonder in my own hometown_

_(One Line Wonder: The Avett Brothers album: ) _

_ watch?v=U-R2Nhsj2mI_

I woke up at 3 that morning, thankfully not from another nightmare. But, just from, I don't know being pissed at myself. I get that way sometimes, just get mad at something I did in the past, and just it screws me over for the day in the future, a.k.a., makes me tired and grumpy that morning. I don't know what this has to do with anything that happened the next day, but I felt like I needed to share that. Sharing things makes me feel better about myself. I think it was similar in that I was brewing over what had gone down between Aerrow and I.

I mean not really much happened, he threatened, I backed off. He glared, and I agreed to help him, like I was his freaking slave or something. It got to me on how controlling he thought he could be over me. He's not my dad, and he's not concerned over my well being (why would he? He's a Sky Knight, he's probably got the whole Atmos he's got to worry about).

I'm torn about how I felt about Aerrow that night. One part of me was whole-heartedly sexually sexually attracted to him. I mean for goodness sake who the hell wouldn't? I mean in the TV show, he was pretty smoking, but _dang_! In person, he puts Michelangelo's _David _and his leaf covered hoo-ha to shame. But, it's always sad that the hot guys are either jerks, taken, or both which makes them way out of your league. Even more sad news: Aerrow was no exception.

On the other hand, it baffled me how much of an utter _jerk_ he had went out of his way to be. I had talked to him once, just _once_, and even though I don't like to judge (and I seriously don't) but not only did I felt like the vain of his existence, but also he seemed a little full of himself. The way he looked down at me, and sadly I had received that look a lot to know what it means: _pity you can't be as good as some of the rest of us._ I felt like the third-wheel, the fifth-wheel, the bare-bellied Sneetch, that blonde cheerleader that in the end of the movie was totally rejected and all she can do is pout and walk off the way he folded his arms, to show off his biceps, how chiseled they were, how capable they appeared to be of killing, just made me sick. The hard stone stature of his eyes said it all: _I don't like you_. Well, if he wanted to play that way, I could too.

I didn't like him either.

I got ready for school in a sour state of mind, which wasn't hard to do, since my mother decided she had a problem with everything today (which was a decision she made most days). I headed to the library, like I did every morning, grabbed a laptop and went to blogging. Yes, I blog. I blog poetry, like who doesn't? (Reality check: That would be everyone, except a small few, including me)

Aerrow was there, because I sensed his grumpiness disturbing the force. I peered over my laptop. I was in the far right corner of the library, where there was a narrow strip of space behind all the bookshelves, and there is a chair and desk that mirrors mine in the far left. He sat in that mirroring chair. He had a small sack, similar to the one Piper had. It was laying open, but nothing was inside of it. He also had a journal, which I noticed Piper also had last time I saw her, only his was a scarlet red leaf-like cover, it truly looked to be made of pure leaves. He seemed deep into his work, but occasionally he would look up and around the room. Then he saw me, and his eye brows furrowed, and his jaw went askew. I looked away, and when I occasionally looked up, he would still be staring at me. What was his _deal?_ I mean seriously, do I _look _like a criminal?

He ran his fingers through his hair, and kept scribbling in his notebook. He looked up, and scribbled, looked up, and scribbled, and repeated this process several times. I tried to ignore him, and focus on my poetry, focus on being surreal, but the poem quickly fell into the rhythm of rage that my mind was playing. I wasn't quite sure why this cute guy staring at me made me so angry. Maybe it was because he had a girlfriend, and he was staring at me regardless of that fact. Or maybe it was because it made me just a _little_ happy that he kept staring at me. I kept sneaking glances at him, but I was never surprised with him changing any part of the rhythm he had been doing for the last five minutes. The more I kept looking at him, the more saw a person. I know that sounds very weird, and that's because it is, it was a weird feeling that I had. When I had first seen Aerrow, I had expected this heroic Beowulf image. But, all I see is a little boy, that's a little younger than I am, and has no idea what to do with himself. He seemed nervous, confused, and pretty stressed, which is a combination I was all too familiar with. It somewhat hurt me to see him like that, and it seemed he really did need my help more than ever.

I guess when I was making this realization I was staring at him, because when he looked up we made eye contact. He seemed a little surprised that I was staring at first. Then he got on edge, and started glaring. I think he even gave a small sneer. Then he turned his body away from me with his nose in the air, like I was the slug on his Dalia.

I guess it was a combination of exhaustion of not sleeping thanks to frustration with him, and him being so, I don't know, pissy. My heart started to pound, and something overcame my normal self, and I just stood up, and stomped through the narrow strip of space. With my fists clenched, head first, eyebrows furrowed, and nostrils flared I stopped right in front of the desk he was sitting at. I leaned on the corner of it with one hand, and glared at him. He looked up at me, and looked away to get back to scribbling his notes. But, after awhile, he slowed his writing, and I guess he realized that I wasn't just going to walk away.

"What?" he snapped, still refusing to look at me. he was acting like a seven year old that wouldn't look at his mom, because he knew he disobeyed her.

"Look, I don't care, how tough you look, or like to _act,_" I began, hearing my southern drawl growing thicker. "But, let's just get one thing _very _clear, on Earth we do not 'bite the hand that feeds us' so if you want me to help you, you're gonna have to stop playing this 'I don't like you' act okay? You're going to have to trust me, or else I'm not doing a damn thing for you."

He blinked at me, he opened his mouth, he closed his mouth, he scratched his head, and went back to his journal. It simply infuriated me. It made me so mad that my eyes started to mist up, which means I was _really _mad.

"What the hell are you even writing about? Are you _seriously _taking notes about me, when I'm right in front of you?" I grabbed the notepad from underneath him, and gasped. I looked at him, and then at the picture, and repeated that pattern a couple of times.

He stared at me in bewilderment, we made eye contact, and I could tell that he could see I knew something about this picture. He grabbed the book from me, and I just froze in place for a moment. My face felt hot, feeling embarrassed and confused. I pulled out a piece of paper, from my pocket, and handed it to him.

"And don't be late," I growled. Then I stormed off, like the bitch I really was, but too narcissistic to admit it.


End file.
